UPDATE 9 PM: Amazon’s Prime Video has responded to complaints on social media about technical difficulties while streaming today’s NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals.
“Our data shows that millions of Prime Video customers enjoyed a high quality and reliable streaming experience for the 49ers-Cardinals game,” a Prime Video spokesperson said in a statement. “There were reports of isolated local connectivity and broadband issues, which were unrelated to the Prime Video broadcast.”
Some of the frustration expressed by football fans online stemmed from the fact that the game was not available on TV. This marked the second time ever that the NFL gave a game’s exclusive rights to a streamer.
Related Story
Fox Sports NFL Christmas Game Sees Best Rating Since 2016 Thanks To Record Performance
PREVIOUS 4:30 PM: The San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals kicked off one of the last NFL games for 2020 on Saturday, but Amazon Prime Video couldn’t quite score with all its viewers as a handful of football fans complained of the streamer’s botched game broadcast.
“Hate the Amazon Prime broadcast BTW,” Twitter user @richardkhal wrote. “Looks, sounds feels odd. Blech.”
A number of additional social media users expressed their dismay with the game broadcast, which also streamed on Twitch, and aired on NBC affiliate KNTV in San Francisco and FOX’s KSAZ in Arizona. Some football fans urged the NFL to reconsider its programming plans for a week-long “NFL Holiday Blitz.”
Other viewers experienced choppy video during the game, causing some confusion.
“Is it just my wifi connection or is the Amazon prime stream look jittery, not smooth?” Twitter user @SEAsports253 wrote.
The Amazon Prime Video stream was called “trash,” “garbage” and other viewers noted that “everything about this broadcast sucks.” While some were able to catch parts of the game, though with choppy images, other fans could not watch the stream at all.
“Why in the world would they put a game only on Prime?!,” another frustrated Twitter user said.
Additional complaints about the 49ers-Cardinals game on Amazon Prime Video included those about wide accessibility, the amount of anchors speaking at a given time and buffering.
Not all viewers, however, experienced interruptions with their broadcasts. A majority of other NFL were able to catch the game without any issues.
See some social media reactions to the broadcast issues below.
I have great internet connection but the #NFLonPrime game is terrible! Luckily I don’t need to watch @NFL I will watch something else. pic.twitter.com/my6aHuEez9
— Rod Delph (@RodDelph) December 26, 2020
Tried to watch 2 #NFLonPrime games. Every minute I saw this. #AmazonPrime pic.twitter.com/rfeiabNbqo
— Roman Loyola (@pinatubo2000) December 26, 2020
Hate the Amazon Prime broadcast BTW. Looks, sounds, feels odd. Blech.
— Richard Khal (@richardkhal) December 26, 2020
The stream has been trash since the pregame show…
— Hawkaholic12 (@Hawkaholic12) December 27, 2020
Wow… NFL on Amazon Prime is pure garbage
— Allan Patchin (@AllanPatchin) December 26, 2020
I haven’t been able to watch this Cardinals/49ers game on @PrimeVideo because it won’t load. Why in the world would they put a game only on Prime?!
— Dear Old State (@_DearOldState) December 26, 2020
I can’t believe they did this! Amazon prime only. What a time to be alive! Must be 2020!
— Jordan Reffett (@JordanReffett) December 27, 2020
I would give Amazon Prime a (C-) on this 49ers Cardinals coverage…too much talking…3 people#NFLonPrime 🏈
— UC CHRIS (@UCCHRIS) December 27, 2020
The Cardinals and 49ers on Amazon Prime is bs. Half the people that wanna watch probably don’t have it.
— joe hartzell (@joehartzell37) December 27, 2020
Do you think you can fix your link on top of the website that says Inactive @NFL @RedZoneChannel @nflcommish ? It’s week 16 and hasn’t worked all season. #ComeOnMan #NFL #NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/Uod97xfj5s
— Rich Buske (@RBUSKE24) December 27, 2020
Amazon Prime is on a delay
— Elvis James (@ElvisZerodx) December 27, 2020
Hey @NFL, how many viewers did you lose today because not everyone (especially now) can afford #NFLonPrime and/or the @nflnetwork? Glad it was 9rs, Bucs, Cards and Lions… didnt miss all that much, but still.
— Saint Lou (@SaintLou17) December 26, 2020
@NFLonPrime Watching a streaming NFL game sucks! You have no control. I can’t pause or rewind to review. I vote a big NO on future NFL games in this format. #NFLonPrime
— Bob Freepartner (@BobFreepartner) December 27, 2020
I can’t believe they did this! Amazon prime only. What a time to be alive! Must be 2020!
— Jordan Reffett (@JordanReffett) December 27, 2020
